Hidden
by Bianca Inkwell
Summary: Aang, Katara, and Sokka are on their way to Haru's village when they meet a Air nomad girl whose painful past is a mystery to all but a certain banished prince and his uncle. Is this girl a friend or foe?


Hiyo! I've had this story for quite some time now but the storyline isn't really finished so if i'll probably take a long time to update and i'll change chapters and junk. Anyhoo, enjoy and check out my friends story. It's really good. She's the only person n my favorite authors so you can't miss her.

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The darkness of the moonless sky cradled the three sleeping travelers weary from…well, traveling! Beside them loomed a large animal, also asleep, its enormous chest rising and falling with each deep lungful of air. Only once was his breath disturbed as an unfamiliar human scent wafted by his nose. The stranger crept pass the still sleeping giant lifting the hem of her dress to prevent any problems it may cause. She paused momentarily as the smallest figure stirred in his bed of leaves then quieted. Again she moved stealthily toward the bag beside one of the occupied sleeping bags. Closer and closer… a far off animal howled and the intruder smothered a terrified squeak…Closer and closer. She crouched and at last her hand closed around the pouch but in the dark she couldn't distinguish the bag from the small creature using it as a pillow. The creature screeched as the thief's hand closed around its tail and the three companions sat up, alarmed. The stranger snatched up the bag and turned to run but the closest figure stood a club-like weapon poised in his hands before it came down on her head with a bone bruising thump.

* * *

"Momma! Momma!" The little five-year-old girl screamed her golden hair glowing bloody red against the light of the fire. She clutched desperately to her mother's hand as they darted behind a tree. 

"Hush, Kaze," The mother shushed her equally as bright hair pulled back in a braid. She stroked the child's head as she buried her face in her mother's yellow frock. "You need to be quiet or the bad men will hear us." Clutching the staff in her fist even tighter, the woman peered out from behind the tree at the devastation before her.

The village had been hidden for so long. Why did it have to end this way? She wondered. Will everything be consumed by the fire nation's greed? A fire nation soldier his helmet tucked under his arm passed nearby and the woman ducked back behind the tree sliding down to make herself smaller. The little girl threw her arms around her mother's neck

"Mommy!" she exclaimed. Almost immediately the woman covered the child's mouth with a hand marked with the tattoo of a blue arrow. Once again she peeked cautiously over her shoulder. A rough jerk on her braid brought her face to face with a fire nation soldier. Holding her up by her braid the soldier shoved his face in hers.

"Well…What have we here?" he sneered. "A runaway. What's a matter? Don't want to join the party?" The soldier tugged painfully up on the braid, pulling the woman to her feet. The child hid behind her skirts but peeked out momentarily. The soldier spotted her.

"A little one!" He snickered. "Aren't you just…Oof!" The woman kneed him in the crotch freeing her hair. In a flash, she snatched up the child's hand and her staff before running as fast as she could. She glanced behind to send a slicing gust of wind to hinder the soldier even more. She turned and ducked just in time to avoid a fiery ball that hurtled toward her head. She tripped falling forward onto her stomach in front of the last person she wished to ever see.

"Captain Zhao." She hissed then glanced to the boy at his side. He didn't return her gaze but looked away. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail as most underage boys' hair was and his face held certain softness. Zhao noticed her stare and his monkey-like face twisted into an arrogant smirk.

"I don't believe you've met my son, Hinote." He said proudly. "That really was a pitiful attempt to escape. You might have even escaped if your brat hadn't opened her mouth." A soldier ripped the staff from her hands while another pulled her up and tied her hands behind her back. The first soldier presented the staff to the captain who smirked.

"Throw them in with the rest." Zhao ordered turning to leave. Hinote stared astonished at his father.

"What about the child?" He asked. The captain shrugged.

"What of her?" He replied

"We can't just kill her." The young man protested. The woman's eyes widened with hope.

"Why not?" Zhao dared his son. "Not doing so would show weakness in the eyes of the firelord." Hinote drew back slightly momentarily defeated, his mind whirring until…

"You misunderstood," Hinote answered a sly grin on his face. "It's just that I heard Fire Lord Ozai had a little girl two or three years ago. I thought this little one would make a decent slave for her. His majesty only said to kill all the benders after all." The woman fell to her knees.

"Please sir!" She pleaded. "My Kaze has shown no bending abilities. I beg you! Please spare her!" Zhao glared down unsympathetically. Seeing this Hinote quickly stepped in, mentally apologizing to the woman.

"Silence!" he snapped slapping a fiery hand across her face burning her. "You will speak when spoken to!" The ends of the captain's lips twitched and Hinote breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think you're right, Hinote," Zhao said stroking his chin. "Nothing like a little bribery to get on his highness' good side." He set a hand on Hinote's shoulder. "You'll make a soldier yet. Heck! Maybe even a captain like me." Hinote nodded solemnly to his father then waved away the soldiers.

"Take this woman to be burned with the rest." He ordered gritting his teeth. The soldier obeyed and the girl who had momentarily released her grip on her mother ran after them.

"Momma!" She called but Hinote grabbed her little tattooed arm. The little girl screeched but her struggles were futile within Hinote's firm grasp. The woman gazed over her shoulder.

"Kaze! Be good! And…" but a soldier hit her cutting her off. Tears poured down the child's face.

"Momma," she wept. Captain Zhao smacked Hinote on the back knocking the air out of him.

"Come on, my boy!" Zhao laughed. "Let's go watch the burning!" Hinote shook his head.

"No thanks, Father," he replied. "I will take this girl to the prison hold." Zhao shrugged.

"Your loss." And with that Zhao strolled away. Hinote shivered. He remembered the last burning. He remembered the soldiers throwing fire at a large hut and all the people inside screaming. The worst part was watching the people who escaped the building and their shrieks as a soldier set them aflame. He snatched the woman's staff from the soldier as he passed, handing it to the little girl. Biting her lip, she hugged as one would a doll. From behind came the whoosh of flames engulfing the tiny hut all the villagers had been crammed into. Screams…the girl twisted around.

"Momma?" More screams. The little girl wretched her arms out of Hinote's grasp.

"Momma!" She started stumbling toward the blazing building. Hinote chased after her.

"Come back here you little…" He called. A fire nation soldier near the building heard the commotion. He turned, deciding to help…but didn't understand and so shot a stream of flames from his hands.

"No!" Hinote yelled. The little girl froze staring into the blazing inferno…

* * *

The would-be thief moaned her head throbbing. Not that dream again. Her shoulder burned in memory of it. She moved her hand to rub it but felt a rope and the rough feel of bark against her skin. She opened her eyes to gaze up at her captors. Once again her life lay in the hands of another. 


End file.
